1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an operating button device provided in a housing of a portable apparatus such as a digital camera.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, as an operating button device provided in a housing of a portable apparatus such as a digital camera, there is known a device, in which a button is projected from an opening formed in a housing, so that various operations can be carried out by depressing the button. A switching circuit board is provided under the button, and a projection, being able to come into contact with a switch formed on the switching circuit board, is provided on the rear surface of the button. Thus, by depressing the button, the switch is pressed, so that turning ON and turning OFF operations are performed.
The button is connected to a spring member, and is always urged in a direction in which the button is projected from the opening. A flange is formed over the outer periphery of the button, and is engaged with a peripheral edge of the opening in a non-operating state.
In the conventional operating button device described above, the projection, provided on the rear surface of the button, should be elongated so that the flange is prevented from interfering with the switching circuit board when the button is depressed. Therefore, a space, corresponding to the length of the projection, should be formed between the housing and the switching circuit board, and thus, there is a limit to how thin an operating button device and a housing of a portable apparatus can be.